An 11-year-old boy from Harold Hill died after inhaling aerosol fumes, a court has heard.
Freddie Davis was found dead by his mother at their home in Dagnam Park Gardens on January 20.
The case came to light on Wednesday, July 16, as East London Coroner’s Court formally opened an inquest into his death.
“On the 20th of January 2025, Freddie’s mother went into his bedroom to wake him up for school and found him unresponsive,” said coroner’s officer Jean Smyth.
It was “impossible to wake Freddie up”, she continued, and “he was declared deceased at the home address”.
An autopsy has since given the boy’s cause of death as “inhalation of butane aerosol propellant”.
“I’m satisfied on those facts this death occurred in circumstances requiring an inquest,” said coroner Nadia Persaud.
“The inquest will be opened and adjourned for further investigations to take place.”
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She declared Freddie’s family interested persons – a legal status entitling them to legal representation, to view evidence ahead of the final inquest and to question any witnesses called to testify.
She asked her staff to obtain a statement from the child’s family which included “information about Freddie” and “any detail that Mum and the family can provide in relation to the events leading up to Freddie’s death”.
She also asked for details of any “specific concerns” the family had about his death.
She requested an update from the Metropolitan Police Service investigation into Freddie's death and details of any pertinent information retrieved from his electronic devices.
Mrs Persaud said: “I would like to understand (from the local council) whether there was any safeguarding issues, whether Freddie was known to social services and if so, what support they were providing to him.”
The final inquest was provisionally scheduled for February 11.
The US Centre for Addiction and Mental Health says aerosols are often used by “children and young adults” as a cheap, legal way of inducing euphoria, exhilaration and giddiness.
“Most of the people who use solvents and aerosols are young – between 10 and 16 years old,” its website says.
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